This is the second installment in a two-part series on the dangers of backflow and the need for code compliance. Last month's edition of "Code Shack" discussed the need for vigilance on the part of plumbing professionals to keep dangerous backflow situations from occurring.

    Backflow preventers are being installed. Testers are busy making sure these safety valves are sentinels protecting the public. Report forms are being completed and returned to the utility. This effort is now continuous-forever.

    Woe to the water supplier that starts a program by identifying hazards and requiring backflow preventers, keeps records, and one day decides to no longer fund the program. Can you imagine a civil attorney's payday when a dreaded backflow event occurs and the plaintiff's counsel points out to the jury that the water supplier recognized the risk at one point, but later determined that the cost of maintaining the program was greater than the potential contamination risk? After all, are not many of the water suppliers self insured, meaning that we as customers will pay for any damages?

    The plumbing code requires that all threaded outlets be provided backflow protection, including hose bibbs. How many have heard the story about the property owner who finally had enough of getting sprayed when closing the outside hydrant? Was the owner's fix to replace it with a hydrant that didn't spray? A potential cross connection is born.

    The education of the general public about water system safety is a task of epic proportions. Building occupants must understand the potential dangers associated with plumbing modifications. Manufacturers must stop producing inferior products that are not plumbing code compliant. Handymen and building maintenance personnel must be trained about the right way of maintaining fixtures and appliances. This public awareness list is extensive.

    Education will also include the water supply personnel. It's been noted that most suppliers in the United States serve populations of 10,000 or less. Utility personnel are usually looking for a better job offer and once they receive their professional credentials while working in a system, they will likely advance. Enter the "new guy." How long will it take to get this person up to speed learning all the characteristics of the system? They'll need to know about transient pressure when pumps cycle, taste and odor issues when reservoirs have seasonal turnovers, and more. When will plumbing system surveys fit in?

    While all this is going on, systems must also comply with state and federal drinking water regulations. Purveyors will be sampling water quality looking for bacteria, for example. Every once in a while, a supplier will pull a positive bacteria sample.

    What exactly does a positive bacteria sample mean? The backflow police may shout "cross connection!" Maybe. A positive bacteria sample might also mean a main break, a pinhole in a supply pipe aspirating groundwater, biofilm lining the inside of a pipe with a sloughing off, or simply stagnant water. Stagnant water may have returned to the system from a dead-end pipe during a system pressure loss, or maybe the water came from another plumbing fixture, such as an expansion tank.

    Professional trade associations must also become aware of the risks of backflow. In the interest of Homeland Security, a proposed code change was presented last year that would require the installation of a backflow preventer at new service line construction. This would have been a great start toward containment protection, and it would be recognized by the code.

    This proposal did not survive the adoption process. Why? Because representatives of a construction association believed the installation cost was excessive. When is the cost of public health a low priority?

    What is the cost of installing a backflow preventer on the service line? First, it must be determined if the unit will be testable or non-testable. Backflow preventers create a closed plumbing system, which means that an additional device must be installed in the plumbing system to relieve thermal expansion or pressure increases. What else might be required? Will the system need a booster pump?

    As the different trades and industries pull together toward the goal of safe drinking water through plumbing code compliance, we need to do our part. Have you had a backflow prevention class or have your employees had this training? Have the plumbing inspectors had a backflow prevention class? It is always surprising to have a master plumber of 25 years attend a tester certification class for the first time, and walk away at the end of the week commenting on how much he didn't know.

    There is a lot to learn about backflow prevention. The American Society of Sanitary Engineering's Series 5000 standards require a minimum of 40 hours for the tester class. These classes include laws, regulations, basic hydraulics, and most important, how the backflow preventers work with proper installation.

    Once certified, the professional must return every three years for recertification. The reason is that things change. For example, do you know about the installation requirements for a deck-mounted atmospheric or spill-resistant vacuum breaker? Are you familiar with the new backflow preventers that have been designated "DCF" and "RPF?"? There is also a new code requirement that states drainage must be provided for the maximum discharge from a backflow preventer. Typically, a recertification class will last one day.

    When adopting the entire ASSE Series 5000 standards, the jurisdiction also adopts the repair certification. This certification is added training in troubleshooting backflow preventer failures and performing the repairs. To qualify, the student must first be a certified tester before taking the additional 20 hours of repair training.

    The third ASSE certification is for those professionals who conduct cross-connection control surveys. To qualify for this level of certification, the student may already be a certified tester. This program provides training in program development, plumbing code requirements, and finally, what hazard and protective measure to identify when evaluating a piping system.

    The Backflow Prevention Institute offers training to meeting the requirements of the ASSE Series 5000 standards and to become certified jointly by the ASSE and IAPMO. The BPI incorporates additional training toward code compliance and awareness of local and state laws. The Institute uses IAPMO's "Backflow Prevention Reference Manual" as a textbook for each certification level. The Manual is available from IAPMO by calling 85-IAPMO.

    It is also important to recognize that sitting in a classroom once every three years will not keep your backflow prevention skills sharp. The industry is always looking for professionals to help. If you have an interest in becoming an instructor, being an exam proctor, or assisting with establishing a local training program, please contact the Backflow Prevention Institute at (303) 451-0978. Get involved and get those you work with involved.